Resilient power transmission device



Oct. 24, A D|NA RESILIENT POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 23, 1930 Q INVENTOR ugws/o 0/770 ATTORNEY Oct. 24, 1933. A.DINA 1,932,205

RESILIENT POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed Jan. 23, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2...mmllllf' ATTORNEY Patented Get. 24, 1933 RESILIENT" rowanTRANSMISSION DEVICE I Augusto Dina; Elizabeth, N. J., assignor toInternational Projector Corporation, New York, N. Y,, a corporation ofDelaware Application January 23, 1930 Serial No. 422,712

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved driving coupling, and hasfor a main object the .provisionof a simple, durable, compact, andefficientdevice whereby power is readily trans- 5 mitted from a drivemember to'a driven'member with-extreme smoothness and flexibility at alltimes and without any sudden jars or strains or disturbing vibrations sothat the driven elements or mechanism will be completely protected fromsaid disturbances and will be operatedwefficientlyand smoothly. j

A further object isto provide a coupling which can be readily put intooperative conditionand position between the driving and driven membersand can be readily replaced and repaired when desired with a minimum ofdisturbance of the operation of the power transmission.-

A still furthervobject is to provide a device in which the'desiredflexibility of the flexible drive can be adjusted to exactly the desireddegree and with a minimum of cost and effort. Further and I morespecific objects, features, and advantages will more clearly appear fromthe detailed description given below when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings which form part of the specification and whichillustrate one present preferred form of the. invention. I v

In general terms the invention may be said to include the use of aspring element disposed between the driving member and the drivenmember. This spring member is in the form of a leaf spring or springsand in the preferred form illustrated and described herein, one portionof 35 the coupling has a somewhat zig-zag or wave formation withalternate peaks and depressions familiar in such formations and in oneform thereof shaped somewhat like a star. The element is preferably madeup of a plurality of leaf springs bent into a shape like a U with theirlimbs connected to form the peaks of the formation and these points ofconnection are alternately connected to the driving and the drivenmembers. The element may be disposed adjacent to or between platesconnected to the driving and the driven members or otherwise associatedtherewith as may be desired.

The present preferred form of the invention is line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention; and, I

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

As shown in the drawings, the preferred form of the invention comprisesa driving mechanism including a drive shaft 10 and a driven shaft 11. Ofcourse this relation maybe reversed; The shaft 10 is preferablyconnected to a hub 12 on a drive plate 13. v

Adjacent the plate 13 is another plate 14 suitably fastened as by a key15 to the driven shaft 11. The plate 14 is preferably held in juxtapo-'sition' adjacent the plate 13 byv means of the collar 17 or hub on theplate and fastened to the shaft 11.

The plate 14 is provided with a plurality of spaced pins such as 18along vits periphery and on the side opposite the plate 13. The plate 13is provided with a plurality of outstanding ears or suitable projectionssuch as 19' which correspond to ears 20 disposed at spaced intervalsalong the periphery of the plate 14 and which ears 19 and 20 aresequentially spaced with relation to each other on the two plates 13 and14; The pins 18 arefastened to the ears 20 and the pins 21 are fastenedtothe ears 19.

Disposed adjacent the plate 14 on the side opposite the plate 13 thereis found a spring coupling member. In this instance it has a zig-zag orwave formation or construction and is made up of a plurality of separatespring elements such as leaf springs each having a bent U-shaped middlesection such as 22 and limbs 23 and 24. While the main essence of theshape of this spring element is that it is a leaf shape as to itselements, the preferred form is Wave shaped and the particular formshown is such that the respective limbs 23 of each leaf spring areconnected to the limbs 24 of the adjacent leaves near their 95 outerends by any suitable means such as rivets 25. Preferably the limbsextend slightly beyond this point of connection and are formed as bybeing bent or curved to form spring like resilient pockets to receivethe pins 21 and 18.

It is to be observed that the pins 18 are engaged with alternateconnected limbs 23 and 24 and that the pins 21 are connected to theother and alternate joined limbs as indicated in the drawings. Thusthere is provided between the 105 plates 13 and 14 a flexible couplingof such nature as if a plurality of leaf springs were disposedtherebetween and this eiiect is achieved by means of the leaf springsand their connectionglto the pins 18 and 21. The flexibility of thespring 110 are as before with the plates 13 andd new spaced considerablyapart. The shaft 10 is supported in a suitable journal 26iand theshaftll in a; suitable journal 27. In this formthe pins 21 on the plate13 project toward the plate 14 and the pins 18 on the plate 14 projecttowarolthe plate 13 and engage as before with respective alter natejoined limbs 23 and 24 as above. described, the spring element beingdisposed between the plates. This arrangement may be enclosed by anysuitable means, not shown, if de sired;

I flhus itis apparent that the' devic'e is simple, coinpact du ble; andextremel flexible for the "smooth transmission of power between the twoshafts; The spring element may be readily rem ve to b r p ce/Mr .r 'p'ed n can be readily inserted in most any powe transmission line withoutany great degree ,of troubleor expense. It is also a re'ady matter toremove the elements so; 1a emee a 1 nema one havmg a -different degreeof flexibility when desired.

While the invention has been described in detail and with respect to apresent preferred form thereof it is not to belimited to such detailsand some sifn'cernany changes and modifications may be m'adea'r'i'd theinvention eir'lbodied in other formsan'd modifications without epart ngfrom the spirit and s'e'ope or" the nventi n in ts broadest aspects.nemes s desired to c'ov'e'r any and anr is and miodifications comingwithin the language orscope of any one or more of the appended claims.

I W at isqla stf i--. i

1. A flexible coupling cornprising fllates 'dis pos dql s l adia eni s sPiec h d sh on which said plates are mounted, widely spaced pins on eachplate and. extending therefrom in the same direction, the pins of oneplate disposed alternately with the pins of the other plate, astar-shapedspring leaf unit connected to said pins and lying on the sameside of both plates, said unit comprising a plurality of U-shaped springelements connected respectively along their limb portions tocorresponding 'pbr'tions of similar adjacent elements, the U-shapedintermediate portions of the several elements lying on the same side ofthe line of connection of the elements, the pins on one of said platesbeing 'co'niiectedt'o alternate points of connection with said spring,and the pins on the other plate being connected to other alternatepoints of connection of said spring unit.

A flexible 7 driving coupling comprising a pair 6f substantially flatsmooth plates disposed closely adjacent each other, aligned shaftssupporting said 1 plates, widely spaced pins projecting from saidplates; the; pins or one plate staggeredwith' respe ct to the pinsplate; a spring unit comprising a plurality 6f U- shaped spring elementspositively sem s-cite is j along their 111515 pb itions to tonespoiiding portions of similar adjacent spring elements, said spring unitssip ened to lie on the same side er both plates, the pins of one platecennected to alternate peasef tliin with said Spring elements; the" onthe other plate connected to: other alternate points of connection:ofjs'aid "spring elements;

3. A flexible saving tempt-fi comprisinga pair of substantially flatsmooth plates posed adjacent each other, widely ssaeea'pies projectconnected to alternate points of connection of said spring element thepins er the other plate being fc'onnected to other alternate stints ofconnectionof sai-a-spnh 'eieisenv. AUGUSTO ion

